The present invention relates to medical equipment and, more particularly, to apparatus for current pulse action upon the central nervous system to replace psychotherapeutic medicines, tranquilizers, and general anesthetics.
Recent experimental and clinical studies have shown that the attainment of the second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia provides optimum conditions for self-regulation of the cerebrum with subsequent regulation of vital functions of the human organism.
The experience accumulated by today's medicine makes it possible to use the apparatus of this invention to achieve, in clinical conditions, the second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia for the prevention and treatment of light and moderate nephropathy, for the prevention of severe nephropathy and uterine action disorders in the course of delivery, and, finally, for raising the pain threshold in the course of preparing expectant mothers for childbirth.
With the start of regular birth-throes, the second level, of the first stage of general anesthesia is employed to give a parturient a respite and replace pharmaceuticals used in cases of uterine inertia.
After alleviating the uterine inertia by attaining the second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia, the current pulse action is repeated to intensify uterine activity. The second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia may be employed in childbirth to anesthetize labor pains through intermittent analgesia. In operative gynecology the second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia is employed to relieve the emotional stress in the course of preparing a patient for an operation, and as an intensified therapy means during the postpartum period.
The proposed apparatus may also be employed for electric sleep treatment and for electrotonising the uterus.
The information obtained at present as to the clinical effectiveness of the second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia does not exclude the possibility of employing the proposed apparatus in those fields of gynecology and maieutics where there is the necessity to replace pharmaceuticals by physical means to regulate the functional state of the central nervous system.
There is known an apparatus for current pulse action upon the central nervous system. In this apparatus, which is used for sleep therapy, current pulses are applied to a patient via electrodes, i.e. a cathode and an anode that are attached to the patient's head. Said current pulses are applied from a unit for rhythmic current pulse action upon the central nervous system via a unit for regulating the amplitude of said current pulses, and a unit for indicating the mean value of current intensity, respectively. The sending of the pulses is stopped by the patient protection unit when the current pulse action level is in excess of a preselected value.
The foregoing apparatus acts upon the central nervous system of a patient by square current pulses through electrodes (an anode and a cathode) attached to the patient's head. Said pulses are sent by the rhythmic current pulse action unit which performs the function of a rhythmic irritant to induce sleep in treating different diseases. At the same time the depth of sleep is regulated by varying the output voltage at the points where the electrodes are applied; for this purpose, provision is made for said patient protection unit which comes into action when the current characteristics are in excess of preselected values or in the case of a malfunction of the apparatus.
The rhythmical action unit of said known apparatus comprises a multivibrator with collector base capacitive couplings. This unit ensures a pulse duration of 1.0 to 2 msec in the frequency range of 2 to 25 Hz, and of 0.4 to 1.0 msec in the range of 25 to 130 Hz.
The unit for indicating the mean current intensity value comprises a milliammeter connected directly to the patient.
The patient protection unit comprises an electromechanic relay which is tripped in the case of increased voltage or a fault in the apparatus.
The above circuit layout of the current pulse rhythmic action unit accounts for the fact that it can only be used for sleep therapy in treating different diseases, without making it possible to rapidly and painlessly attain the second level of the first stage of general electro-anesthesia.
The design of the known apparatus described hereinabove is such that the current pulse action in sleep therapy can only be intensified by regulating the output voltage.